Tail skid for aeroplanes



H H. KLECKLER ET AL I TAIL SKID FOR AEROELANES Original Filed March 31. 1916' 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I iverzfim HENRY l'fiEc GLENN HCumwss May 20, 1924. 1,494,787

H. KLECKLER ET AL TAIL SKID FOR AEROPLANES Originai Filed March 31.1916 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 HENRY 'KLECKLER. GLENN H .C URTljj HENRY KLECKLlBR AND GLENN H. CURTISS, F GARDEN CITY, NEW" YORK, ASSIGNORS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T0 CURTISS ASSETS CORPORATION, OF GARDEN CITY, NEW YO,;A CORPORATION OE NEW YORK.

TAIL SKID FOR AEROPLANES.

Original application filed March 31, 1918, Serial No. 88,087. Divided and this application med March 13,

1918. Serial No. 222,215.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HENRY KLnoKLnR and GLENN H. CURrIss, citizens of the United States of America, residing at Garden City, in the county of Nassau and State block together with its associated shock absorbing mechanism is enclosed in a suitable casing of streamline form and the latter so arranged relatively to the vertical rudder of the craft as to occupy at all times a ocket or recess formed in the rudder at its ase. The typeand character of the shock absorbing mechanism is also different from the conventional in that a spring rather than elastic cords, is used. Moreover, the relative arrangement of the tail skid parts render it stronger andbetter able to withstand and absorb the tail shocks incurred in landing;

Of t e drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the skid and that portion of the craft in. the immediate vicinity thereof. I

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. r

k ig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation of the s 1o.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the skid.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the cushioning devices, and

Fi 6 is a vertical sectional view of the comhined tail and rudder post illustrating, in section, the manner in which the skid is attached.

In the embodiment of the invention seiected forillnstra-tion the tail skid is designated as an entirety by the numeral 10. It compriws a broad fiat skid block 11 which tapers downwardly and rearwardly, and in cross section is of a substantially streamline form. Heel plates 12 are secured as indicated at 13 and 1a to the skid block 11, the

plates together afiording means whereby the cushioning device 15 is secured at one end to the block. This device 15, as illustrated in Fig. 3, comprises a rod 16- transversely slotted as indicated at 17, a spring 18, an abutment 19, and an abutment 20, the abutments being located, in the normal position of the skid, adjacent the respective terminals of the rod. 'A bolt 21 is arranged to pass transversely through the slot 17 in the rod 16,. through the abutment 19, and through both heel plates 12, the mentioned bolt afiording the connection between the heel plates and the cushioning-device or means 15. respect to the rod 16 and located at-the opposite end thereof from that within which the slot 17 is formed. The abutment 19 however is movable longitudinally on the rod throughout the length of the slot and against tension of the spring 18. The spring, as stated, embraces the rod 16 and bears at" its respective terminals against the opposed abutments.

The opposite end of the rod 16 from that fastened to the heel plates 12 is pivoted as at 22 between extensions 23 of a clip 24 cured rigidly to a sleeve 25 mounted to rotate on a vertical axis about the lower end. of a combined tail'and rudder post 26. An

nular flanges 27 engage the opposite termimale of the sleeve 25 and preclude its longitudinal displacement. A second clip 28 is secured to the sleeve 25 adjacent its lower end, this 'clip affording a means whereby the skid 11 is pivoted as at 29 between extensions 30 of said clip for movements in a vertical lane. Since the clips 24 and 28 are rigid with the sleeve 25 and the latter is mounted for rotation about thepost 26, it is evident that the skid 11 may be freely turned.

In use, the skid upon coming in contact- The abutment 20 is fixed with during swinging movement of the skid and rod, moving longitudinally of the latter directly against the tension of the spring. The bolt 21, by reason of its fitti in slot 17 will cause the re 16 to swing engagement r in a vertical plane or according to the swingin%movement of the skid.

0th the skid and its cushioning means are located in a recess or pocket 31 formed in the vertical rudder 32 of the craft. The pocket is formed preferably in the part of the rudder at or near the rudder post so that the axis of the skid (considered in its en- -movement of the skid in a lateral plane is entirely independent of the lateral swinging movement of the rudder; that the cushioning means or shock absorbing mechanism is located wholly aft of the rudder post and so enclosed by the housing 33 as to offer a minimum of resistance; and that the skid in a vertical plane is substantially flat and of sufficient depth to secure strength and efliciency without bulk and without necessity of a departure from the desired streamline form.

It may be further stated that the mounting of the tail skid upon the rudder post 26 is only preferred when used in connection with the vertical rudder of the machine. The same type of skid may be equally as well used upon varied types of aeroplanes and the shock absorbing mechanism carried by any rigid aeroplane part.

WVhile we have described our invention in detail in the present preferred embodiment it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that after understanding it that various changes and modifications may be made in the invention without departing from its 5 irit onscope. We aim, in the appended c aims, to cover all such modifications and changes. i

We claim:

1. 'In'an aeroplane; the combination of a rudder movable laterally" for steering purposes, a tail skid mounted beneath the rudder for vertical pivotal movement and for lateral pivotal movement independently of the rudder about its extended axis, mechanism for yieldingly resisting the vertical pivotal movement of the tail skid, and means enclosing 'said mechanism to minimize the resistanceof the skid.

2.111 an aeroplane,the combination of a rudder movable laterally for steering purposes, a-rudder post, a vertically movable tail-skid mounted beneath the rudder and carried by the rudder post, the tail skid being partly streamlined and movable laterconfined'to the space defined by that portion of the rudder cut away.

4. In an aeroplane, the combination of a rudder, a tail skid, and a substantially streamlined casing enclosing a portion of the tail skid, the marginal lines of the casing and the marginal lines of the rudder being so relatively arranged that the lines of one merge uninterruptedly into the lines of the other.

5. A tail skid for aeroplanes including a substantially triangular skid mounted or swinging movement about a transverse axis,

a vertically disposed skid support, means engaging the skid at a point rearwardliy removed from its transverse axis to yiel ingly resist its swinging movement, and pivot connections respectively between said means and the support and said means and the skid.

6. A tail skid for aeroplanes including a skid block movable laterally about a vertical axis, means engaging the skid block and movable with it to yieldingly resist its vertical movement, and a substantially streamlined casing enclosing said last mentioned means, said casing being movable laterally with the skid block about its vertical axis and fixed with regard-to the skid block when the skid block is vertically disshock a orbing mechanism and normally occupyin the space formed by the recess in the ru der.

8. A tail skid for aeroplanes including a pivoted skid block, shock absorbing mechanism connected with the skid, means supporting both the skidvand shock absorbing mechanism for lateral swinging movement and a substantially streamline casing enclosing the shock absorbing mechanism and a portion of the skid.

In testimony whereof we hereunto aflix our signatures.

' ENRY KLEC-KLER.

G'LE H. CTISS. 

